Title Card: Baby Steps.
"Aww," Maria said. "Look at you two dressed like babies".
Lincoln and Clyde couldn't help but blush. Everyone else chuckled.
"Too bad it's not focused on Lily," Rita said.
[Night at the Loud House, and Lincoln is sleeping in his room with his dog Charles. His walkie talkie comes on itself.]
"I take it back," Maria said. "Snuggling with your pet is too cute to ignore."
"He didn't pee in your bed, right?" Carl asked.
Lincoln and Charles shook their heads.
"That's a relief," Dante said.
Lincoln: [jumps on his bed in surprise] "AAAAHHH!"
Clyde: "Slumberjack! Come in! It's Night Owl!"
[Lincoln opens his drawer of toys and grabs his walkie talkie.]
Clyde: "Slumberjack! Do you read me?"
"Nice nicknames," Chunk said.
"How long did you have them?" Arturo asked.
"Since our first sleepover together," Lincoln said.
Lincoln: "Clyde?"
Clyde: "Sorry about the late hour, but I have the best news ever!"
Lincoln: "Lori found the book of poems you wrote about her and realized she's in love with you?"
"I still had a crush on her at the time," Clyde said in his defense.
"We know you're over that," Lori said.
"Especially thanks to that girl, Chloe," Stella said.
All of Lincoln's friends, including Clyde, giggled.
Clyde: "Okay, second best news ever. My dads are having another baby!" [Lincoln gasps] "I'm gonna be a big brother!"
"That was our reaction when Frida Puga was pregnant with Baby Carlitos," Carlota said.
"Same with us about Lily," Lola said.
"And us about Ronnie Anne," Bobby said.
Lincoln: "Clyde, that's amazing! Did they just tell you?"
Clyde: "Well, not exactly. But I've been noticing clues for a while."
[Flashback starts with Clyde in the laundry room, walks out with a mop and a bucket of things to clean with. Clyde stops and looks at the clothes from the washing machine.]
Clyde: "Baby clothes?"
"Woah," Ronnie Anne said.
"I know," Clyde said.
"Reminds us of Lily and Carlitos," Rosa said.
"I know," Lynn Sr said.
[Second flashback starts with Clyde in the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to grab a carton of milk. He opens the dishwasher, he saw baby bottles.]
Clyde: "Baby bottles?"
"Just 2 clues, huh?" Carl winced.
"You've seen TV," Clyde said. "Where there are 2 clues, there's always a 3rd one".
[Third flashback of Clyde bringing his cat Cleopawtra home.]
Clyde: "Come on, Cleopawtra."
[Clyde see his dads, Harold with 2 nails in his mouth and holding a hammer, and Howard with a notepad and pencil.]
Harold: "There. Can't be too safe with a little one on the loose."
Howard: [sighs] "That reminds me, we need to secure loose cables, and cover the outlets, and lock up the cleaning supplies."
"It's true," Howard said. "You can never be too safe with a little one on the loose in the house".
"Sounds like your family could learn from the McBrides," Miguel said before chuckling.
Dana, Benny and the Casagrandes couldn't help but let out a few chuckles themselves.
[Flashback ends back to Lincoln and Clyde.]
Clyde: "So it was pretty clear what was going on. But I wasn't positive until about 5 minutes ago."
[Flashback starts with Clyde walking in the bathroom at night and Howard and Harold talking to each other in their bedroom.]
Harold: "Well, Howie, I think our home is ready. But what about our hearts? Do we really have room for another little bundle of joy?"
[Clyde peeks out of the bathroom holding a roll of toilet paper staring at the viewers.]
Howard: "Of course we do, Harebear." [gasps] "I cannot wait to surprise Clyde."
"Oh my god!" Lola said.
"That would make it sound like one's having a baby," Paula said.
"Especially from Clyde's point of view," Mollie added.
[Clyde dances out of the bathroom; flashback ends back with Lincoln and Clyde.]
Clyde: "Being a big brother is the most important job I'll ever have. Apart from being Lori's soulmate. I need to make sure I'm ready for it!"
Lincoln: "You woke up the right guy Clyde. I got the Big Brother thing down to a science. Why don't you spend a day shadowing me so you can learn firsthand?"
"I can see why you would be picked," Polly said.
"With 5 younger siblings of your own, you have it down to a T," Fiona said.
"Helping out is my middle name," Lincoln said.
"I thought it was Marie," Leni said.
"You think that with all of your siblings," Miguel said.
Lori just gave Leni a pat on the head.
Clyde: "Sweet! I'm on my way." [gets off his bed and puts on his jacket.]
Lincoln: "Love that enthusiasm, Night Owl, but it's 1:00 AM."
"You called my grandson at 1 in the morning?" Albert asked in a no longer approving look.
"Smooth," pouted Howard.
Clyde: [chuckles] "Right. See you at 9:00, Slumber Jack."
Lincoln: "Sleep well, Night Owl."
[Cuts to next morning]
Lincoln: "Okay, Clyde, allow me to introduce Lincoln Loud's 3 C's of Big Brothering: Confidence, caring, and when all else fails, cookies." [passes Clyde a fanny pack full of cookies.]
"Chaz like that plan," Chaz said.
"That's so cool," CJ said.
"I should try that with Carlitos," Carlota said.
Clyde: [takes a cookie out] "Snickerdoodles, my favorite."[Tries to eat one, but Lincoln takes it away.]
Lincoln: "Ah ah ah. Those aren't for us. Now, time to start my rounds so you can observe the 3 C's in action." [puts on a fanny pack]
"Nearly forgot about that," Clyde said.
"No worries dude," Lincoln said.
[As they step out of the room, Lily starts crying.]
"Let's the 3 C's of big brothering go to work," Lincoln said.
"You totes got this," Leni said.
"Well," Rita said. "With 11 kids, not everyone is prepared like Lincoln".
"And any moment now, you're gonna see why," Lynn Sr said.
Lincoln: "Hear that?" [sporting sunglasses] "First big brother cue of the day!"
[Lily is crying because she smashed her thumb with her toy hammer while playing with her hardware toys, showing a red soreness spot.]
"Yep," Maria said. "Wish I was there".
"That had to hurt," Sam said.
Lincoln: "First up, Confidence." [walks up to Lily] "Don't worry, Lily. Your big brother's here to help. Let's get a look at that thumb of yours." [looks at it] "Just what I thought: a boo-boo. This calls for caring."
[Clyde takes notes]
"Way to stay in the game, son," Howard said.
"You always said be prepared," Clyde said.
Lincoln: "Aw. I'm sorry you got such a bad ouchie. But we can make it better." [Kisses it, gives Lily her corn popper and takes her hammer; thumbs up to Clyde.]
"You're good," Clyde said.
Clyde: "Wow. You didn't even need a cookie."
Lily: "Cookie?" [begs for one]
Lincoln: [gives Lily the cookie] "Sometimes it's safer to spell."
"We'll try to remember that," Hector said.
"My family will too," Sid said.
[off in the distance]
Lola: "LANA! STOP IT!
Lana: "MAKE ME!"
Lincoln: "Sounds like a twin fight. This should be very educational."
[Lola and Lana are having a big fight in their room.]
"Typical aggressiveness," Miguel said.
"What caused you twins to fight now, huh?" Carl asked with a smirk.
Lincoln: "Alright, Clyde, what do you think we need here?"
Clyde: [going through his notes] "Um... confidence?"
[Lincoln steps in and breaks up the fight between the twins who are dressed as a princess and a knight.]
"Told you she still has a princess themed share of the house," Sergio said.
"Just keep quiet about calling one spoiled," Lola said.
Lincoln: "What seems to be the problem?"
Lola: "Lana's supposed to be guarding my Princess tower, not attacking it!"
Lincoln: "Now, Lana-"
Lana: "Aw, guarding is boring! Attacking is cool!" [attacks the tower made out of cushions with her toy sword.]
"Not everyone thinks so," Rita said.
"Especially those who are adults," Arturo said.
Lincoln: "Clyde, any guesses?"
Clyde: "Um... caring?"
Lincoln: [nods to Clyde; to the twins] "I think I know a compromise that will make you both happy." [wraps a dirty old robe around him and attacks the tower.] "The evil troll is attacking your tower! Rawr!"
"Nice compromise, Linc," Mr Grouse said.
"You really do know those 3 C's," Luan said.
Twins: [bursting with excitement] "GET HIM!" [They defend their tower from the big brother troll.]
Clyde: "Nice! And once again, you didn't need the C-O-O-K-I-E-S."
[Despite Clyde's spelling, the princess and knight realize that...]
Twins: "THE TROLL'S GOT COOKIES!" [They attack Lincoln to get what they want.]
"Thanks a lot Clyde," CJ said.
"Bet your family wish you had him more prepared for that, right?" Chuckled Francisco.
"We do," Howard said.
Lola: "I saw them!"
Lincoln: [holding them back] "Another tip: six-year-olds can spell."
[The fight resumes]
Lola: "I need-"
Lana: "-cookies!"
[The boys go into the kitchen where Lincoln, after being assaulted by the princess and knight, is getting some ice. Enter Lisa.]
Lisa: "Elder brother, I require your assistance."
Lincoln: [with frozen peas on his black eye] "What can I help you with, Lisa? Lab explosion? Nuclear crisis?"
"How much science goes on down there?" Paula asked.
"You'd be surprised," Lisa said.
Lisa: "No. I have a hankering for a PB&J."
Lincoln: "Coming right up!" [begins making a sandwich]
"That's a relief," Howard said.
Lisa: [to Clyde] "I can isolate uranium, but they won't let me use a butter knife. Also, I like the way Lincoln makes my sandwiches."
Lincoln: [with the completed sandwich] "Here you go. Easy on the jelly, crusts cut off, and sliced into four right triangles for optimum mouth fit."
Lisa: [takes it] "Thank you. Technically, they're isosceles, but I'm not gonna bite the hand that feeds me."
"That sure got freaky," Francisco said.
"Even for me," Carl said.
[As she walks off and Lincoln is putting the sandwich supplies away, Lucy pops out of nowhere.]
Lincoln: "AAH!" [drops sandwich supplies]
"One day, you'll get used to that," Benny said.
"That day can't come soon enough," Lana said.
Lucy: "Hey, Lincoln, could you help me with a poem for school? I need a rhyme for "tomb"."
Lincoln: [washing himself off and thinking] "Hmm... Gloom? Doom? Powder room?"
Lucy: "I knew I could depend on you." [smells something] "Do I smell snickerdoodles?"
[Lincoln gives her one and she leaves.]
"That was incredible," Frida said.
"I'm still shocked to know you haven't tried poetry," Rita said to Lincoln.
"I did a few times," Lincoln said.
Clyde: "It's a real pleasure to watch a master at work."
Lincoln: "Eh, I've had a lot of practice."
[From upstairs]
Lana: "GIVE IT!"
Lisa: "NO, YOU GIVE IT!"
Lincoln: "You ready to get some practice, too?"
"And here comes why not everyone is as prepared as Lincoln," Rita said.
Clyde: "Heck, yes!" [heads upstairs to the source of the feud] "Okay, Clyde. Confidence." [walks forward to the fight] "Um, hey guys. Do you think you could just-" [not getting their attention; steps forward and gets bitten] "AGH! That was my foot!" [regains confidence] "What seems to be the problem here?"
[Lana and Lisa stop fighting]
"I thought we agreed fighting gets us nowhere," Lynn Sr scolded.
"Sorry about that," Lana and Lola said.
Lana: "You? Where's Lincoln?"
Clyde: "I'm temporarily filling in for him and would be happy to help you settle your differences."
Lana: "Lisa stole my best rat, Bitey!"
Lisa: "Who's Bitey? This is Subject 57A."
[The rat leaps at Clyde who yelps in fright and stops him from attacking him.]
"Lisa, you had no right to let my rat do that," Lana said to her.
"My apologies to the scolded," Lisa said.
Clyde: "Uh, well, you both seem attached to it, and I want to be fair."
[At that moment, Lucy appears out of the vent and scares him, making him lose Bitey while Lana and Lisa resuming fighting.]
Lucy: "Hey, Clyde, I need advice. How do you know you've met your soulmate?"
Clyde: "Oh. Uh, wow. That's some serious stuff. How much time do you have?"
[Lola steps out of her room with a ribbon.]
Lola: "LINCOLN!" [notices Clyde] "CLYDE! Help me choreograph my ribbon dance!"
Clyde: "Hold on a sec, Lucy." [checking his notes] "Did Lincoln even go over ribbon dancing?"
"I thought there was something I missed," Lincoln said.
"Smooth," Howard and Lynn Sr said.
[Lily comes out with her corn popper which has a hole in the dome.]
Lily: [whimpers] "Boo-boo!"
Clyde: "Just another minute, Lucy. Hang on, Lola." [picks up the toy and drops the balls out of them.] "Whoops!"
[Lily starts crying]
Clyde: "No, no, no, no, no. Wait. It's all okay. Shh. Shh."
"And that's why only Lincoln's prepared for that kind of stuff," Lynn Sr said.
"I can tell," Arturo said. "Not even my family's that crazy".
"Right," Arturo's relatives said with certain smirks.
[Bitey then climbs up his pant leg, making him yelp again and trip over one of the popper's balls. The girls gather around Clyde and demand that they help him with their problems. Seeing no way out, he knows what he has to do. He takes off the cookie pack and tells the younger Loud sisters to...]
Clyde: "JUST TAKE THE COOKIES!" [tosses them]
[The girls and Bitey look on and see the cookies flying through the air and go after them. The minute Clyde's free, Clyde runs downstairs and for the door.]
"That didn't go as well as I hoped," Lincoln said.
"It's like your parents said," Tabby claimed. "Not everyone is prepared like you".
"You got that right," Sergio said.
Lincoln: "Clyde! What happened?"
[Clyde opens the door only to run into his dream girl.]
Clyde: "L-L-L-L-Lori?" [gets a nosebleed and passes out as Lincoln holds him.]
Lori: "Whatever." [walks away inside]
"I literally was not even going to ask," Lori said. "I had a feeling it was another Lincoln and Clyde thing".
[Back in Lincoln's room, Clyde comes to his senses.]
Lincoln: "Clyde! Talk to me, buddy. What happened back there?"
Clyde: [sighs] "I failed at the 3 C's."
Lincoln: "What? How is that possible? You're the most caring person I know. And you make great cookies."
"He ain't wrong about that," Clyde said.
"No he isn't," Albert said.
Clyde: "It's the confidence I'm struggling with." [panicking] "What if I give bad crush advice, and my future sibling gets their heart broken? Or what if I can't choreograph a ribbon dance, and they drop out of school and start holding up convenience stores? I'm going to be a terrible big brother!"
"Maybe that house is too crazy for you," Liam said to Clyde.
"You could've asked my brother to help," Rocky said.
Lincoln: [worried; caring] "CLYDE! [shakes Clyde] You're spiraling! You can do this. Just get out there and try again."
Clyde: "I can't, Lincoln! I don't have the confidence you do. And I never will."
Lincoln: [caring] "It's okay, buddy. How about we just forget the whole training thing and play some video games?"
Clyde: "That sounds great."
"Great way to relax," Ronnie Anne said.
"I love that idea," Clyde said.
Lincoln: "I'll just go grab us some snacks." [leaves]
[Later, while Clyde is playing, Lisa comes in.]
Lisa: "Lincoln?"
Clyde: [startled] "AAH! SISTER!" [calmly] "I mean, hi, Lisa."
Lisa: "I require assistance securing my shoestrings."
Clyde: "Aren't you a certified genius?"
"I usually am," Lisa said.
Lisa: "Yes. Which is why there is no room in my brain for such trivialities."
"It's sad but true," Lisa claimed.
Lynn Sr hugged her.
"It's alright, girl," Lynn Sr said.
[Clyde ties her shoe]
Lisa: "Thanks, Clyde. You're a lifesaver." [leaves]
[Lucy appears right behind Clyde.]
Lucy: "Where's Lincoln?"
Clyde: "YAH! I mean, you might wanna try the kitchen."
Lucy: "That's a long walk. I need a rhyme for... Lori."
"How do you get stumped on that?" Haiku asked.
"Sometimes, certain poems are hard to make," Lucy said.
Clyde: "Really? Well, I've got about a hundred! Story, glory, Montessori..." [writing all of them down much later] "... and inventory. Now, those are just the ones in English."
"You're good," Liam said.
"Thanks," Clyde said.
"I had no idea," Lori said.
"I am not sure if any of us did," Stella said.
Lucy: "Thanks, Clyde. You're a lifesaver."
[As she leaves, Lola comes driving by in her princess car.]
Lola: "Where's Lincoln? I need him to show me how to buckle my seat belt."
Clyde: "Oh. Well, that's simple enough. Why don't I show you? Just insert the metal fitting into the buckle and pull tightly across your waist. To release, simply press the center button."
"That's awesome," Lola said.
"Thanks," Clyde said. "But I'm still gonna need more practice".
"Especially in a house as crazy as Lincoln's," Casey said.
Everyone couldn't help but giggle.
Lola: [buckles up] "Oh. I never could have figured that out." [hugs Clyde who smiles confidently] "You're a lifesaver, Clydey." [drives off]
"That's a cute nickname," Joey said.
"I'll remember that one," Clyde said.
[Lily crawls in with a storybook.]
Clyde: "You... you want me to read to you?"
[Lily nods]
[Clyde sits down and reads with Lily; later]
"Wow," Arturo said. "Clyde's doing it."
"I love it," Margo said.
Clyde: "And "Z" is for "Zucchini". The end."
[Lily laughs and claps. Clyde smiles feeling confident now and heads to the kitchen.]
Clyde: "Hey, Lincoln! Guess what? I think I have the missing C now!" [notices Lincoln's not there] "Lincoln?"
[From outside]
"Here comes why I should've taken your advice, Rocky," Clyde said.
Lola: "Okay, I did the damsel in distress act. Now where's my 5 bucks?"
[It is shown that Lincoln is paying his sisters for pretending to need Clyde's help.]
Miguel giggled.
"What's so funny?" Sergio asked.
Miguel answered, "you have to admit, for someone living in a house that rough and crazy, Lincoln sure knows how to play smooth".
Miguel's friends chuckled at that.
"Thanks Miguel," Lincoln said.
Miguel told him, "no problem, but I don't think Clyde will be laughing yet".
"Can you teach me how to play like that?" Carl asked.
"CARL!" Ronnie angrily said.
"That's how I felt," Clyde said.
"Oops," Lincoln said. "Should've prepared for that."
"You think?" Lincoln's family asked with scolded looks.
Lucy: "Yeah, pay up."
Lisa: "I should be doubly compensated for having to act like such an ignoramus."
Clyde: [lividly] "YOU STAGED THAT WHOLE THING?!"
Lincoln: "Clyde! I can explain! I was just trying to boost your confidence!"
[Clyde approaches Lincoln and angrily gives him Lily.]
Clyde: "I think I should go." [leaves in a huff]
Lincoln: "Clyde, wait!"
[Lily grabs her payment.]
"There was one other thing we both forgot about," Lincoln said.
[Clyde is making his way home when all of a sudden...]
Lana: [up in a tree] "CLYDE! HELP! I CAN'T GET DOWN!" [Her rat Bitey is up there, too.]
Clyde: [disbelieving] "You can save the act, Lana. I know Lincoln's paying you to do this."
Lana: "What are you talking about? Bitey and I are really stuck, and I think he's afraid of heights." [Clyde starts to show concern.]
"How did we miss that?" Clyde asked.
"Not even I prepared for that," Lincoln said.
"Talk about crazy," Fiona said.
"Chaz agrees," Chaz said.
Clyde: "It's okay, Lana. Don't be scared. I'll rescue you!"
[Clyde has gotten Lana and Bitey out of the tree and is bringing them down a ladder.]
Clyde: "You guys doing okay?"
[Lana nods still terrified.]
Clyde: "I know what it's like. One time, I got stuck on a diving board. And a step stool."
"Not the best thing to bring up around your dads," Howard said.
"Sorry about that," Clyde said. "And for snapping at Lincoln like that."
"I'm just glad you were able to build up the confidence," Lincoln said.
[They make it down to the ground.]
Lana: "YAY!"
"Way to go Clyde!" Jackie said.
"That was incredible," Luna said.
"That is something I'll forever remember," Lana said while hugging Clyde.
Clyde: [gives her a cookie] "Here. You earned it."
Lana: "I don't know what I would have done without you, Clyde." [gives half her cookie to Bitey and hugs Clyde] "Oh, you're a real life saver!" [runs off and waves to him as he waves back]
Lincoln: [arriving just in time] "Clyde! I thought you left. Look, I owe you an apology."
"We cool, bro," Clyde said. "I owe you one for boosting my confidence".
"Anything for my homie," Lincoln said while hugging Clyde.
Clyde: "It's okay, Lincoln. I finally got my confidence. For real this time. I gotta go tell my dads I'm ready to be a big brother!" [heads home]
Lincoln: [Impressed with his friend's breakthrough] "Good luck, buddy. You're gonna do great."
[off in the distance]
Lola: "Lisa, move your big butt!"
Lisa: "Move your own oversized posterior!"
Lincoln: [To the viewers] "Ah, a big brother's work is never done."
"No it is not," Albert said.
"It's gonna be a long time before you know what it's like to a T," Mr Grouse said.
[That night, at Clyde's house during dessert.]
Harold: "Clyde, honey, we have something to tell you."
Clyde: [overjoyed] "I already know what it is! We're having a baby, and I'm gonna be a big brother! And it's gonna be great, 'cause Lincoln taught me the three C's, and I can't wait to start baking cookies, and-"
Harold: "Clyde, you're spiraling."
Howard: "And did you say "baby"?"
Clyde: "Yeah. I saw the bottles, and the clothes, and I heard you guys talking."
[Howard and Harold look at each other awkwardly.]
"Busted," Sergio said.
"We should've just told him from the start," Howard said.
"Told me what?" Clyde asked.
Harold: "I'm afraid there's been a bit of a mix-up. Your dad and I haven't been preparing for a baby."
[Clyde looks on devastated to hear that.]
"That sure is a rude twist," Roger said.
Howard: "We've been preparing for..." [picks something up] "... A KITTEN! Meet Cleopawtra's sister, Nepurrtiti. We finally got to bring her home from the shelter today." [Nepurrtiti gets up in Clyde's arm and nuzzles against him.]
"Aww," everyone said.
"Okay," Clyde said. "This is the best thing I'll forever remember".
"I knew it would," Harold said.
Clyde: "Wow. She's perfect. And just so you guys know, if you ever do decide to have another human child, I'm totally ready for it."
[Harold and Howard look on confused, but then smile. Sometime later, Cleopawtra and Nepurrtiti are nuzzling together and Clyde's dads are leaving the house.]
Howard: "We'll be back in an hour. You okay keeping an eye on the kitties?"
Clyde: [nods] "I've got the three C's: Caring, Confidence, and Cat treats."
[The cats attack him and get into the cat treats.]
Clyde: "Whoops. Guess I should have spelled that."
"You think?" Harold asked.
"Man," Carl said. "Season 2 had some of the coolest episodes".
"You got that right," Luan said.
"You know," CJ said. "If you wanted another kid so badly, you could've just adopted one".
"Yeah," Tabby said. "Lincoln, you could've adapted Clyde as your brother by now. You two already look like siblings".
Everyone else nodded.
"Same with me and Carlota," Ronnie said.
"Aww Ronnie," Carlota said while hugging her.
"We should look into that when we return," Harold said.
"I say let's do it," Lynn Sr said.
"I would love that," Clyde said.
"Me too," Lincoln said.
"Alright!" Jackie said. "Adoption night is going down!"
Everyone couldn't help but cheer and dance along. Clyde already has been like an honorary member of the family since the second half of season 1.
The love was filling the room like mad. Speaking of love, a love letter is about to get the center of attention.
That's why the next episode they'll be reacting to is L Is For Love.
See you soon for that.